Below is a synopsis of Allan Armstrong’s new pamphlet From Blatcherism to Maybynsism. Chapter 6, Scotland – from ‘Project Hope’ to ‘Project Hate’ – and from ‘Better Together’ to ‘Bitter Together’ can be seen in the bella caledonia blog at:-

THE CONTINUING SHIFT TO THE RIGHTIN THE TRANSITION FROMNEO-LIBERALISM TO NATIONAL POPULISM

Allan Armstrong presents a case that the world is leaving the period of neo-liberal domination and entering a period of national populist domination. This is analogous to the earlier move from post-Second World War social democratic domination, which ended in 1979/80. He emphasises the role of the 2008 Crash in dividing the UK and US ruling classes. This had led to the rapid growth of national populist politics in these and other states. The Right’s winning of the Brexit vote and then the election of Trump (‘Brexit, plus, plus, plus’) has performed a similar role in the transition from neo-liberalist domination to national populist domination that the election of Thatcher and Reagan had played in the earlier transition. Continue reading “FROM BLATCHERISM TO MAYBYNISM”

This is a new dialogue over the consequences of Brexit following the Corbyn-led Labour Party helping Theresa May get the second reading of the Tories’ Immigration Bill through on Wednesday 29th January

This dialogue came about in response to a posting Allan Armstrong made on the Republican Socialist Alliance list. It was also taken up by Phil Vellender (Editorial Board of The Chartist) on his Facebook page.

Allan Armstrong puts the case for building a Scottish-wide Left contingent on the ‘All Under One Banner’ march in Edinburgh on October 6th

EDINBURGH OCTOBER 6th – A RALLYING CALL FOR THE LEFT

35,000 in Glasgow, 10,000 in Inverness, 13,000 in Dumfries and 16,000 in Dundee – ‘All Under One Banner ‘ clearly represents something significant in Scottish politics. However it requires an examination of a wider politics going back to 2014 to appreciate the nature of this phenomenon.

We have revived this open letter and petition from Ian Allinson of UNITE Grassroots Left. It calls upon UNITE members to reject Len McCluskey’s call for the Labour Party to adopt the IHRA definition anti-semitism.

OPEN LETTER AND PETITION TO LEN McCLUSKEY

We the undersigned call on you to oppose the adoption by the Labour party of those IHRA examples of antisemitism that would threaten legitimate support for justice for Palestinians.

We were concerned to read in his blog post for Huffington Post on 16 August that our General Secretary, Len McCluskey, while explaining clearly why some were problematic, argued that “It would be for the best if all eleven [of the IHRA examples] were now agreed, so the party can move on”.

The IHRA working definition of antisemitism is just 38 words and unproblematic. It was adopted by the Labour Party some time ago. The IHRA added 11 examples of what it says antisemitism “could, taking into account the overall context, include”. Continue reading “OPEN LETTER AND PETITION TO LEN McCLUSKEY”

Murdo Ritchie argues that Socialists should support the purest form of proportional representation.

NO VOTE WASTED – FOR PURE PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION

The outcomes of all elections are the resultants produced by misshapen class struggles. The consciousness of the participants and the audience are formed in the policies. But the institutions as well as the consciousness of the participants distort the process too. This is especially true for the United Kingdom political system. During elections the class base and regional biases of the contenders become increasingly clear. This does not make the rules and procedures under which they are fought “neutral,” fair and balanced. Indeed, participation reveals the biases even more clearly. Unfortunately, the political parties that usually take part have a vested interest in failing to make this clear to a wider public. Over UK history, the institutions that supposedly reflect or refract democratic aspirations have evolved to favour of the aspirations of the dominant classes and groups albeit this has grown less visible and seemingly more neutral. Continue reading “NO VOTE WASTED – FOR PURE PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION”

Emancipation & Liberation has been chronicling developments in the Left Unity Party in England and Wales. Steve Freeman reports on the LUP’s recent conference.

LEFT UNITY CONFERENCE, 20.6.18

Left Unity and the crisis of democracy

On 16 June Left Unity held its annual conference. The party has been steadily shrinking since 2016 but it still has over five hundred members. Over twenty five activists attended which tells its own story. It was a significant conference after last year’s nervous breakdown. The demand LU liquidates into the Labour Party was no longer evident in resolutions or speeches.

The main question before conference was the ‘crisis of democracy’ which grew from the politics of austerity. The EU referendum has taken this to a whole new level. It has divided England between the Anglo-British and Anglo-Europeans. An emergency resolution was tabled about the recent Anglo-British mass mobilisation in London by the supporters of Tommy Robinson, the BNP and UKIP etc. Continue reading “LEFT UNITY CONFERENCE, 20.6.18”

This is an edited version the article, written by Eddie Ford, which first appeared in Weekly Worker. This blog has often warned how the use of the Crown Powers could stymie any attempt to set-up an independent Scotland. This article provides a warning to those who look to Jeremy Corbyn to lead a new Labour government. Under the Crown Powers the British establishment can call on the monarch to appoint an alternative Prime Minister.

THE ROYAL WEDDING – PROVIDING POLITICAL COVER FOR THE UK STATE’S

CROWN POWERS

Jeremy Corbyn- a genuine or a platonic republican?

Although politicians might not have been invited to the royal wedding on May 19th at Windsor, this was definitely a political event. Its purpose was to demonstrate once again the central ideological role of the monarchy – which, as we all know, stands ‘above politics’, so that it can serve the common interests of the ‘entire nation’, whatever your class position, as opposed to outsiders. No doubt this is part of the reason why Markle must become British herself. Continue reading “THE ROYAL WEDDING – PROVIDING POLITICAL COVER FOR THE UK STATE’S CROWN POWERS”

Mike McNair ( CPGB-Weekly Worker) examines the ‘anti-Semitism’ smears currently focussed on the Labour Party, and in particular Jeremy Corbyn. He shows the wider political intent behind these for the Right and the Israeli state.

SMEARS ROLL ON

Kate Hopkins and Ian Paisley Junior, two well-known ‘anti-racists’ who support Israel

The ‘anti-Semitism’ smear campaign run by the media and Labour right against the left – with the enthusiastic support of the Jewish Board of Deputies and related groups – rolls on. At the time of writing there are two new pieces of ‘scandal’. First are complaints from rightwing Labour MPs and the ‘Campaign Against Anti-Semitism’ about Jeremy Corbyn attending a passover seder organised by the left Jewish group, Jewdas. (1) Continue reading “SMEARS ROLL ON”

In a follow up to an earlier posting, we are pleased to be able to report a victory for Ukrainian miners. This article was first posted at the Ukriainian Solidarity Campaign website at:- https://ukrainesolidaritycampaign.org/2018/02/21/major-victory-for-the-94-ukrainian-miners-facing-court-for-protesting/

In the first posted article article Pink Floyd performer, Roger Waters, highlights the attempts being made to close down the increasingly successful Boycott, Divestment and sanctions Campaign in the USA.

In the second article, Tony Greenstein provides an analysis of what is going on the Labour Party over Palestine. Despite the change of leadership under Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour Party’s desperate record when it comes to internationalism, appears to be holding up. This is becoming ever clearer, as Corbyn backtracks on support for Palestinian self-determination, in the face of Israeli state and right wing pressure. This does not augur well for any future Corbyn government. In the first article, Tony Greenstein provides an analysis of what is going on.

Members of Congress are currently considering a bill that threatens to silence the growing support for the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement for Palestinian freedom and human rights, known as BDS. This draconian bill, the Israeli Anti-Boycott Act threatens individuals and businesses who actively participate in boycott campaigns in support of Palestinian rights conducted by international governmental organizations with up to 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. Continue reading “ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL and DON’T ABANDON THE PALESTINIAN CAUSE”